The prepaid mobile phone service for international travellers offers roaming rates at about a quarter of those Vodafone and Telecom. TravelSIM is now a preferred telecommunications partner of Harvey World Travel; the product is available from participating Harvey World Travel outlets, New Zealand Automobile Association (AA) centres nationwide, as well as online.

"TravelSIM will offer Harvey World Travel's valued customers a great product that'll save them more money to take in the sights, and for shopping and hotels when they're overseas," said Adrian Turner, general manager of Harvey World Travel. "It's a great product and an excellent fit for our travel business in New Zealand."

Those travelling to China will now enjoy even greater savings after TravelSIM last week reduced its roaming rates in that country. It is now free to receive calls in China and 95 New Zealand cents to make a call per minute. That compares with competitor rates of between $3.40 and $3.80 a minute.

TravelSIM is free to receive calls in more than 70 countries, including China. Travellers to Europe experience the biggest savings as most countries are free to receive calls there.

TravelSIM is prepaid, so consumers have total control of the charges they're incurring and they aren't locked into an onerous plan or contract. Users can top up TravelSIM through their handset menu or online. Users can pay per minute for live translation services for person-to-person or for conference calls.

"The Harvey World Travel partnership widens TravelSIM's national reach, so more Kiwis can pocket great savings on their phone bills when travelling in the 190 countries where TravelSIM operates," said James Currah, chief executive of TravelSIM New Zealand.

TravelSIM texts start at 50 New Zealand cents, much less than the rates of other providers. The company also offers free and unlimited texts to any TravelSIM, anywhere in the world, from its website www.travelsim.co.nz. This is a great way for friends and family to keep in touch, and convenient with time zone differences in avoiding middle of the night phone calls.

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